Food handling apparatus



FOOD HANDLING .APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1932 3 Shets-Sheet l ATTQRNEV Jan. l5, 935. H. L Jon-qi'uS-l-Qluv 3,988,244

` FOOD HANDLING.APPARATUS Filed Jung 9, 1232 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ffa-2 i *Si* FIG, 5

FIG. 3

ATTORNEY Jan. 15, 1935. H; L, JoHNsToN 1,988,244

VFOOD HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1952 `5 sheets-sheet s ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES.

1,988,244 Foon HANDLING APPARATUS Herbert L. Johnston, Troy, Ohio, assgnor to T110 KitchenAid Manufacturing Company, Troy, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 9, 1932, Serial No. 616,210

13 Claims. (Cl. 259-84) This invention relates to apparatus for processing foods and more particularly to a machine for mixing, stirring, cutting, etc. foodstuffs, especially such as adapted for use in household kitchens and like places.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a small size machine of this character which is motordriven, which is simple, sturdy and inexpensive in construction, eicient and effective in operation, and which is adapted for long life with little care.

Another object. is to provide such a machine with a simple and novel control mechanism for the electric motor which provides for high torque -and other desired operating characteristics under all conditions of speed and load encountered in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide for such a machine a simple and efiicient mechanism for operating a work device, including a Varying speed motor adapted to operate to provide an operating speed range which is substantially constant under wide variations of load upon the work device, or to provide for widely shifting such substantially constant speed range lfor obtaining different speeds, to accord with the characteristics of the material being handled.

Another object is to provide such control for the electric motor of such mechanism which is operative to effect the desired controls without externally varying the electrical condition of the motcr.

More particularly it is an object to provide such a control which is effective without the use of electrical control mechanism in the motor circuit, or a variable speed transmission in the drive connection. v v It is a further object of this invention to provide in a motor driven food handling machine oi this character a speed control including a constant displacement pump lwith recirculating system and liquid reservoir constructed to obtain adequate radiating surface for thev dissipation of heat generated by the pumping operation throughout the speed ranges of operation of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description; the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings,-

Fig. 1. is an assembly view in side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the pump chamber with the top cover removed showing the driving gearing; i

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 3 of a modification; and Y Fig. 'l is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 3 of another modified form.

Referring to the drawings which show preferred embodiments of the invention, a supporting base is indicated at 10 resting on a number of resilient pads 1l. The base is extended longitudinally as indicated and adjacent one end thereof there is formed a depending socket 12. This socket forms a mounting for a removable bowl supporting member 13 having a projecting part 1e adapted to t within the socket 12. Support 13 is curved upwardly adjacent its peripheral edge, to form a holding means for the mixing bowl 15 which is adapted to t within the support and to be held in place thereby.

A second socket 17 is provided in the base and serves to receive a similar but smaller supporting member which receives and supports a bowl of smaller diameter, such as is particularly adapted for the beating of eggs, and similar food treating operations, particularly where small quantities are involved.

A pedestal 20 is mounted on the base l0 adjacent an end thereof which serves to support the driving motor 21. A driving motor of the varying speed or variable speed type, and more particularly that type of motor having characteristics of a series wound, compound wound, `or series-shunt motor, or similar type which operates at reduced speed with increasing load, and vice versa, is preferably used for economy in cost and desirable operating characteristics which adapt the small size motors of this character for use in a small sizedomestic food preparing device. For purposes of description, such a motor is hereinafter referred to as a varying speed motor. The motor which has been found to give very satisfactory service is a series wound universal motor. A motor of this type has the characteristic that its speed decreases with an increase in load and that its torque increases with a decrease in speed so that at high loads and lower operating speeds, the torque of the motor is very high and the possibility of its being stalled under sudden or abnormal load is minimized. The motor is provided with pivot lugs 23 extending outwardly from the sides of the casing which are journaled on bearing pins 22 fixed in the top of the pedestal. This provides for swinging the entire motor assembly about a horizontal axis, on its pivots. A pin 24 is adjustably threaded into an extending shoulder 25 of the pedestal and is adapted to contact with a boss 26 formed on the motor casing so as to limit the downward swinging movement of the motor to a horizontal position. A lock nut 27 fastens pin 24 in adjusted position for regulating the extent of downward swinging movement of the motor to properly space the lower ends of the treating elements from the bottom of the bowl. i

A neck portion 30 extends from the motor casing, to which is fastened a casing 31. 'Ihis casing encloses the motor control mechanism and the transmission between the motor and the Work elements. A pair of shafts 32 and 33 project from the lower side of the casing to which are removably attached a pair of mixing elements 34 and 35. Each attaching mechanism may compromise a transverse pin 36 fastened to the drive shaft and engaging in a forked end of the hollow shaft of a mixing element in driving relation. The mixing element is held in place on the driving shaft as by means of a spring pressed ball 37 cooperating with a suitably positioned recess in the interior wall of the mixing element shaft.

During a mixing operation the rotation of the mixing elements 34 and 35, offset as they are from the center of bowl 15 when the bowl is mounted in socket 12, cause a rotation of the bowl upon its axis 14 resulting in bringing all of the food within the bowl under the action of the mixing elements. At the end of the mixing operation, the mixing elements may be removed from the bowl by simply swinging the entire motor with its attached motor control and transmission mechanism and mixing elements about the pivot 22. When. a bowl of smaller diameter is mounted in socket 17, the mixing elements are symmetrically positioned in the bowl and substantially encompass the space from side to side thereof in their movement.

A motor shaft is indicated in dotted lines at 50 and is pinned at its end section to a sleeve coupling 51. A shaft 52 is also pinned at its end to the sleeve coupling 51 in axial alignment with the motor shaft. Shaft 52 `is journaled at opposite sides of the casing 31 in bearings 53 and 54. The casing 31 comprises a lower portion 55 in which the shaft 52 is journaled and a top or cap portion 56 which is removably attached to lthe lower portion by means of a plurality of screws 57.

Shaft 52 is' provided with a pair of oppositely arranged worms 60 and 61. Meshing with worm 'v 60 is a Worm gear 62 and a similar worm gear 63 meshes with worm 6l. Gears 62 and 63 are mounted upon vertically extending, spaced shafts 32 and 33 respectively, the shafts being journaled in lower bearing members 64, 65 in the lower section 55 of the gear casing, and at the upper ends are journaled in bearing members 66, 67 mounted in the cap portion 56 of the casing.

'I'he shafts are so spaced with respect to each other that the two gears intermesh with each other at their adjoining faces. Thus upon rotation o! shaft 52 to drive the mixing elements,

worm gear 60 produces an axial thrust in one direction along the axis of shaft 52 and Worm gear 61 produces an 'equal thrust in the opposite direction. The mixing elements are thus driven in opposite directions as indicated in Fig. 2 by a direct positive connection and the entire driving structure is so arranged that there is no unbalanced axial thrust on shaft 52; consequently wear on the bearings is reduced and the provision of a thrust bearing for the shaft is obviated. Gears 62 and 63 not only serve as a portion of the driving connection between the motor and the food treating device, but also as pumping gears of a constant displacement liquid Pump- Shaft 33 is extended upwardly as indicated at 70 and is provided at its end with a transversely extending slot 71. 'I'he cap 56 is formed with an extended tubular portion 72 having a removable closure member 73 adjacent the end thereof. A pin 75 is positioned in one side of the tubular portion 72. This forms an attachment connection for a device such as a fruit juice extractor which, being provided with cooperating parts, can be easily and quickly attached and driven from shaft 33.

A fluid reservoir having a substantial external surface area is formed at one side of the casing between an outer Wall 81 and an inner an'ge 82. This reservoir is adapted to hold a quantity of the fluid which is circulated by the pump, which preferably is an oil suitable for this purpose as well as for lubricating the moving parts.

An inner chamber 85 is formed between the rotating gears and the flanged wall 82. Communication between the reservoir and the inner chamber is afforded by a plurality of obliquely extending passages 86 which are located below the normal iiuid level and so arranged as to direct a ow of uid toward the gears 62 and 63.

The casing 55 is provided with cylindrically shaped, intersecting recesses of the depth of the gears 62, 63, in which these gears are seated. The gear faces are closely spaced with respect tothe walls of the recess, and the cap portion 56 ts closely over the tops of the gears, a thin film of oil being present in the intervening spaces to provide lubrication. Thus the gears are effectively sealed against the casing for approximately half of their path of travel. A passageway 87 is formed in the casing communicating with the pressure side of the gear chamber. The passage is internally threaded and receives a throttling member 88 having its end beveled to cooperate with a beveled face 89 in the casing providing a restricted orifice through which the oil is forced by the pump. The throttling member extends to the exterior of the casing and is provided with a knurled head 90 for manual adjustment thereof, a packing washer 91 and sealing nut 92 serving to prevent escape of the recirculating liquid. Intermediate its ends, the member 88 is provided with a portion of reduced diameter forming a groove 93 and a bolt 94 cxtends through the casing opposite this point. Bolt 94 in conjunction with the sides of the groove serves as a limiting stop preventing closing the throttling member too tightly against its seat and also preventing complete withdrawal of the member to thereby avoid escape of the fluid.

Extending at right angles to passage 87 is a passage 95 which in turn communicates with a centrally located return conduit 96, leading back Lacasse into the fluid reservoir, completing the oil circulating system. Covers 97 and 98 close passages 95 and 96 respectively.

In operation, upon the rotation of shaft 52 by the driving motor, rotary motion will be imparted to the food treating shafts 32, 33 through the medium of gearing 60, 62, and 61, 63. Thus power is transmitted from the motor to the mixing elements in the bowl. In addition to serving as the positive driving connection between the motor shaft and the food treating elements, gears 62 and 63 serve to pump oil from reservoir 80 through passages 86 and discharge the oil into passage 87. Throttling member 88 restricts orifice 89 and provides a resistance to the flow of oil from passage 87 into the return passage 96, thereby building Aup a pressure within passage 87 behind the orifice. Work is thereby performed by the pump, imposing on the motor a load which is in addition to the load imposed by the food treating elements or work load, and which is hereinafter termed control load. Heat generated by the pumping operation, which results in raising the temperature of the oil, is dissipated through the relatively large outer wall 81 and other parts of the casing. By properly proportioning the exposed surface area of the casing with the control load to be utilized, the exposed parts of the casing are maintained at a desirably low temperature, such as will not burn the operator. At the same time, there is substantially no wear or deterioration of the parts, such as is prevalent in friction brake devices or in rheostat controls in the electrical circuit of the motor, and long life is insured. By suitably regulating the position of the throttling member 88 with respect to its seat 89 a greater or less resistance is offered to the discharge of the fluid and the control load imposed by the pump is thereby varied and controlled.

It has been found that with such a constant displacement liquid pump, with a constant discharge opening, the load imposed thereby on the motor varies approximately as the cube of the speed of operation. Consequently the control load of the pump increases sharply with an increase in speed, and vice versa.

The several diferent types of food treating operations have diierent speed and power requirements. For instance, it is customary to beat eggs and to mix dough with different speeds of the mixing elements, and similarly the power requirements for these two operations vary considerably. Not only do speed and power require-` ments vary with different materials but they also change materially during a single operation as that operation progresses toward completion. For instance in the in the initial portion tively small but as the material becomes more sticky or viscous, the power required increases materially.

The present invention provides control means for the driving motor which is fully adapted to meet all the requirements confronting the small size household food treating machine in which it is shown incorporated; so that the entire operating mechanism `including the controls is of such character that the complete machine is extremely simple in its lconstruction, sturdy and easily operated, inexpensive to manufacture and adapted for long life with little care. The motor and its control instrumentalities are such as to provide a substantially constant speed for a given setting under wide variations of work -to develop sufllcient ltorque and it will mixing of dough, the power of the operation is rela` load, to aiord a Wide range of motor speeds, and to provide a substantial and adequate motor torque through the entire speed range.

The motor is operatively connected directly to the work load devices (that is, beating or mixing, etc. attachments) and also to a control loadf device `(that is, the pump of the control mechanism). With constant excitation, the speed of a motor of this type is directly dependent upon the total load applied thereto. By providing both a work and a control load, and varying the amount of the control load in coordination with the amountof work load the total motor load can be varied as desired to produce a desired motor speed within the operating range of the equipment, and such speed will be automatically maintained substantially constant within a variation range of determined narrowness practically irrespective of variation in work load. Similarly by varying the control load for a given work load, the motor speed may be increased or decreased to suit different operations desired, and the newly attained speed will be maintained within l,the determined narrow variation range. It has been found, with previously known control devices of the type wherein resistance is used in the motor circuit to control motor speed, that as the electrical condition of the `motor is externally varied by adding resistance in the motor lcircuit to reduce motor speed, ythe motor then may not be able stall, perhaps causing a burnout if the setting of the rheostat is not changed. Also, if suiicient resistance is not thrown in by the rheostat at the start of the mixing operation when the work load is small, then the mixer will operate at such a high speed as to throw out of the bowl the ingredients being mixed therein. Such objections are avoided with the construction of the present invention both by reason of the fact that the motor is regulated with automatic coordination of the work and control loads and so operates within a substantially constant vspeed range, and also because as the load increases the torque is likewise increased so that a stalling condition is practically never obtained. The control does not externally affect the motor circuit or the motor characteristics including torque, but highly effective and eicient motor circuit conditions are maintained at all times. For a given setting of the throttling member, a-portion of the load automatically shifts from the work devices to the control device or pump, and vice versa, in accordance with variations in the work load, to thereby maintain the total load on the motor substantially constant.

With such coordinated work and control load devices, the control load tends to fluctuate sharply (to increase or to decrease) with comparatively minor changes in speed of the pump elements. As a result, any decrease in the work load which would tend to cause a material increase in speed of the motor and its drive connections or gears, is almost instantaneously translated into such increase in control load as will limit Ithe speed change to a non-objectionable amount andthus maintain the speed of operation of the mechanism within a predetermined variation range, for anyvariations of work load within the operating capacity of the machine.

In order to vary themotor speed and to adjust the device for the various food treating operations. the throttling valve is adjusted closer to or farther from its seating position. 'Ihis results in increasing or decreasing the control load for any given Work load, and thus serves to vary the total load on the motor. The limiting stop is preferably so arranged that the throttling valve cannot be so far withdrawn as to permit runaway condition to occur when there is no work load, and it is likewise regulated in the opposite direction to prevent the complete seating of the valve so that some flow through the pump is always permitted. 'Ihe construction provides for a wide range of motor speeds which adequately takes care. of the various food treating and mixing operations normally encountered.

The device is particularly adapted for domestic use, as it can be made small in size, compact, light in weight, is substantially devoid of complicated or bulky machinery-like appearance, is extremely reliable in operation, unusually easy to control and to adjust for different speed ranges, is substantially devoid of parts which can be tampered with or injured by manipulation, is sturdy and has long life, is practically fool-proof in its handling and operation, and when once started on a given food treating operation will automatically maintain a substantially constant speed irrespective of Wide variations in the work load without attention and without danger of stalling or injury to the motor.

To prevent escape of liquid around the food treating shafts 32, 33, each of the bearing members 64 to 67 is spaced slightly from the surface of the gears, and the spaces thus provided communicate with slots 99 formed in the casing both above and below each of the gears. These slots communicate with chamber on the suction or intake side of the gears, both above and below the surface of the gears, so that a pressure release or by-pass is provided for the spaces adjacent each of the bearings for the gear shafts. Shaft 52 is positioned entirely on the suction side of the pumping gears, so that bearings 53 and 54 are not subject to high pressure.

As a further precaution against escape of uid down the food treating shafts 32, 33, a suitable sealing device is provided for each shaft, such for example as that illustratedin Fig. 3. As shown, the casing 55 is recessed at 100 around each shaft. Positioned in the recess is a cylindrical sheet metal member 101. Pressed into member 101 is another-cylindrically shaped sheet metal piece 104. Loosely fitted on the shaft is a conically shaped leather piece 102 over which is placed a metal washer 105 pinched rmly between parts 101 and 104 to hold the leather piece 102 firmly against sheet metal part 101 at its base. Fitting loosely over the shaft is a conical sheet metal washer 103 which is also in contact with 102. A spring member 106 is placed between the metal cylinder 104 and the washer,y 103 at the top side. 'Ihe force exerted by the spring member 106 forces the cone washer 103 tightly against the leather piece 102 causing it to effectively seal the shaft against leakage. However, any other well known construction of lubricant seal may be provided.

In Fig. 6 is shown a somewhat modified form of the invention. The transmission case is illustrated at 31a, with food treating shafts 32a and 33a rotatably mounted therein, carrying intermeshing worm gears 62a and 63a which mesh with the oppositelydisposed worms in the manner previously described. As shown, the

worm gears in this form are of considerably reduced thickness, and above the worm gears the transmission case is cut away or offset as shown at 110 to provide a somewhat enlarged pumping chamber for a pair of intermeshing constant displacement spur gears 111 and 112 which are fastened to shafts 32a and 33a respectively to rotate therewith. Gears 111 and 112 are purposely formed with a comparatively small number of teeth, for example about 7 in number, which are of large size so as to provide substantial displacement or pumping capacity. Both sets of gears on their suction or inlet sides communicate with the oil reservoir chamber, and on their pressure or outlet sides communicate with the restricted discharge orifice and return passage of the circulating system in the manner previously described. This construction affords the advantage of providing for a comparatively large volume of fluid recirculation during operation of the gears. This enables the orifice or restriction in the circulating passage to be of larger size and still obtain accurate and adequate regulation; and due to the fact that large volumes of uid iiow are maintained through a comparatively larger orice the resultant pressure on the outlet or discharge side ofthe gears is maintained considerably lower, even at the higher speeds of operation, so that danger of lubricant leakage from the transmission case is minimized.

In Fig. 7 is shown still another modified form of the device, in which the transmission case is indicated at 31h with the food treating shafts at u3212 and 33h carrying worm gears 62h and 63b.

In this form the worm shaft 52h is mounted intermediate the gears 62h and 63h, and carries a single worm meshing with both of these gears. The transmission case is internally divided by partition' 115 having close fitting openings receiving shafts 32h and 33h into an upper gear chamber 116 and a lower pumpingchamber 117, in the latter of which are mounted intermeshing constant displacement spur gears 118 uand 119 having a small number of large size teeth providing substantial displacement volume as previously described. Only the pumping chamber 117 is a part of the fluid recirculating mechanism, this chamber communicating on the suction or intake side of gears 118 and 119 with v the oil reservoir chamber, and communicating on the pressure or dischargev side of these gears with the restricted orifice and return passage. 'I'he operation of these wise the same as that described above in connection with Figs. 1 to 5.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A food handling device of the character described, comprising a food treating element,

a varying speed electric motor having a rotor and a stator driving said treating element, and means for controlling the relative speed of said rotor and said stator to control the speed of said element comprising a control loaddevice also driven by said motor and imposing a load on the motor which varies sharply with comparatively minor variations in motor speed.

2. A food handling device of the character modified forms is otherdescribed, comprising in combination, a motor having a rotor and a stator, a food treating shaft driven thereby providing a portion of the load on said motor, and a control pump driven by said motor providing another portion of the load on -said motor, said pump eiecting control of the relative speed of said rotor and said stator to control the speed of operation of said motor in the driving of said food treating shaft.

3. A food handling device of the character described, comprising a food mixing element, a varying speed electric motor having a rotor and a stator driving said mixing element, means for controlling the speed of said electric motor and mixing element including a control load device also driven by said motor, the load of which varies approximately as the cube of its speed.

4. A food handling device of the character described, comprising a food treating element, a varying speed electric motor having a rotor and a stator driving said element, a control load device driven by said motor imposing a control load on said motor adapted to vary rapidly with small variations in speed to maintain the speed of the motor automatically within a narrow range with varying work loads on said food treating element, and means for changing the control load of said control device independently of the work load on said food treating element to cause operation ofsaid motor within different narrow speed ranges.

5. A food treating apparatus of the character described, comprising a driving motor having a rotor and a stator, a food treating element. a driving connection between said motor and said element including reduction gearing, a fluid pump driven by said motor adapted to serve as a control load for regulating the speed of the motor, said reduction gearing likewise constituting a portion of the driving means for said pump. i

6. A food handlingdevice of the character described, comprising a driving motor having a rotor and a stator, a pair of intermeshing gears forming a positive displacement liquid gear pump adapted to be driven by said motor, a reservoir and circulating system for a quantity of liquid adapted to be circulated by said pump, a food treating shaft driven from said motor, and bearing means for said shaft constructed and arranged to prevent leakage of said liquid along said food treating shaft, said bearings having communication with the low pressure side of said pump to prevent building up of pressure adjacent said bearings.

7. A food handling device of the character described, comprising a driving means, a shaft driven by said driving means and provided .with

a pair of oppositely disposed worms, a pair of intermeshing gears, each being in driving engagement with one of said worms, the gears being so related to said drive shaft as to substantially balance axial thrust, a housing for said gears, a quantity of liquid adapted to be circulated by said gears, said gears in conjunction with said housing and said liquid forming means for controlling the speed 'of said driving means, and a food treating shaft in driven relationship with said intermeshing gears.

8. A food handling device of the character described, comprising a driving means, a shaft driyen by said driving means and provided with a pair of oppositely disposed worms, intermeshing gears in driving engagement with said worms, a housing for said gears having a reservoir therein, a quantity of lubricating iiuid in said reservoir adapted to lubricate and be circulated b y said gears, and a pair of food treating shafts, each shaft being operatively connected to one of said intermeshing gears and driven thereby.

9. A food handling device of the character described, comprising a driving means, a shaft driven by .said driving means having a pair of oppositely disposed worms, intermeshing gears of equal size positioned at one side of and in driving engagement with said worms, a casing surrounding and enclosing said gears a pair of food treating shafts, each shaft being operatively connected to one of said gears, and an attachment coupling having a driven portion also operatively connected with lone of said gears.

t 10. A food handling device of the character described, comprising a power means having a varying speed with variable load, a food treating shaft driven thereby and adapted to provide a work load, and a constant displacement liquid circulating pump driven thereby and providing a control load regulating the speed of the power means and food treating shaft, the pressure of the liquid circulated by said constant displacement pump varying as a function of the speed of said pump. 1

11. A food handling device of the character described, comprising a power means having a varying speed with variable load, a pair of intermeshing gears driven by said power means, a second pair of intermeshing constant displacement gears of substantial displacement volume providing a gearv pump driven through said rst mentioned pair of intermeshing gears, a uid circulating system communicating with said constant displacement gears, and a food treating shaft also driven through said rst mentioned pair of intermeshing gears.

12. A food handling device of the character described, comprising a varying speed electric motor, a food treating element driven by said motor and imposing a work load on the motor, and a control load device driven by said motor and adapted to control the relative speed of said rotor andsaid stator, said control load device imposing a control load on said motor which is so coordinated with the work load as to automatically maintain the total motorvload within a controlled narrow load range under wide variations of work load of the food treating element within the operating range of the device.

13. A small size food handling device of the character described, comprising a pedestal, a varying speedelectric motor pivotally mounted on said pedestal, a casing carried by said motor, a constant displacement liquid pump and transmission mechanism within said casing driven from said motor, and a food treating shaft carried by said casing in driven relationship with said transmission mechanism, said casing with pump and transmission mechanism and food treating shaft being adapted to swing with said motor as the latter is swung on its pivotal mounting.

HERBERT L. JOHNSTON.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTIN.

Patent No. 1,988,244.

HERBERT L.- JOHNSTON.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the t above. numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, second column,

. line 16, claim 9, after "gears" insert a comma; Iand line 47, claim l2, after "motor" and before the comma insert the words vhaving-a rotor and a stator; and `that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to therecord of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of March, A. D. 1935.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) January 15, 1935.

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

